Deranged
by Crane's Fear Toxin
Summary: A hero and a villain have a strange and confusing talk...


Eyes were narrowed at one another as the two clashed again, the stronger and larger of the two men standing tall over the lankier, shorter man. The shorter man carelessly rubbed his fist along his lip, ignoring the blood that was on his hand, cackling instead. The taller man's eyes were narrowed, and neither seemed fazed by the sirens screaming against the concrete blow them.

"You and me… We'll burn this city down."

The lanky man's words were panted against the night's air as he stood up, limbs swaying as he tried to keep his balance. This fight had been going on for longer than he thought it would, and the hard hits he had taken to the head made it difficult to pay attention to what he was trying to say.

"It will never happen, Joker."

The red-lipped smile grew as he opened his mouth, howling his laughter, showing his opponent the yellowed teeth. He leaned forward, green stained locks of hair falling into his dark eyes, standing out in stark contrast to the white makeup adorning his face.

"Who will be your pretty little enemy when I'm gone, hm, Bats? There may be hundreds of other villains and millions of thugs waiting to help them, to step forward and fight them, but there will never be another me." Joker spread his arms, a hysterical cackle leaving his dry and cracked lips. "I'm one in a million."

Batman watched Joker, shaking his head once before he started forward, hands going for something on that utility belt of his.

"No, Joker. You're going to Arkham for treatment."

Joker howled with laughter again, bending in half, scabbed hands coming onto the dirt covered purple pinstripe slacks he was notorious for wearing. He gasped for breath, lifting his head.

"Treatment? How long will it take you to realize that treatment doesn't work at all? While you clean the streets of misfortune, Batman, I pick the innocent from my teeth! Arkham is a joke, and if there's anyone who needs to go to the Asylum, I believe it's you, Batman."

Against his better judgment, the Caped Crusader paused, frowning. He pulled a pair of handcuffs from the utility belt, but they dangled uselessly from his gloved hand, stirring in the breeze with his cape and the coattails of Joker's purple coat as an errant wind blew past the two of them.

"What do you mean, Joker?"

"We're one in the same, Batman. Deranged."

Batman's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward, but Joker took a step back, bringing a finger up to stop the dark knight.

"Ah, ah, ah, Batman. You should know better by now. It will never be that easy." Batman paused when Joker held up a finger, and saw that it was attached to a wire, leading under his coat. Remembering the incident he had heard about with the mob bosses, the Gotham protector paused, watching Joker.

"What is it you want?"

"To talk. Now that we've gotten the beating out of the way, we can do that, right?" Joker was smirking, but there was something in his eyes that made Batman weary and cautious. "So, how have you been?"

"Cut to the chase. The sooner you're done and back in Arkham, the better for this city."

"This city is rotting from the inside out," Joker snapped, eyes flashing for a moment. He calmed himself, shaking his head. "All I do is help it to its inevitable demise. You may be trying so hard to get the filth of Gotham into a quarantine zone, but how many times do we slip through the cracks, like rats? You'll never be able to completely contain us, Batman, and I think you know it."

Batman didn't answer, but it didn't seem to deter Joker. He lowered his hand, pacing the side of the rooftop for a moment, Batman's eyes never leaving his dirt-covered face.

"You know, you and I have had a good, long run. These constant chases, beat downs, schemes, plans… They've all been wonderful for us to build our relationship. And, I'd like to think that I've earned a special place in your heart," Joker ignored Batman's scathing glare, choosing instead to continue to pace on the roof.

"What's the point you're getting at?" Joker paused, turning his gaze to the man.

"I promise you will always remember me."

The words were so unexpected that Batman actually faltered in his original plan to apprehend the Joker. Why was this man, this criminal mastermind, the Clown Prince of Crime, telling Batman this? Why was that look in his eyes so… sane? It wasn't that the Joker had never had a sane thought in his life, but his thoughts tended to revolve around chaos and destruction more than the future and his own place in history. Did he need a sort of release by telling Batman this?

Joker had paced himself to the edge of the building and stood on the ledge for a moment, before that smirk grew again, the Joker smile back in place.

"But, ta ta for now, Bat Breath. I have bigger fish to fry."

Batman started after Joker, but he dropped off the side of the building, cackling. Batman ran to the ledge just in time to see the Joker's jacket open, picking up the wind in a similar manner to Batman's cape. Batman stood there, watching the Joker fly away on purple coattails and decided, just this once, to let him get away.

"_Everything alright, Bruce?_"

Dick's voice came through the com and Batman took a moment before answering, watching Joker escape into the night before he put a hand to the side of the cowl.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Joker escaped and I've lost his trail. I'm coming back. We'll have to try tomorrow."


End file.
